Are you longing to travel to a place where you can just leave the car at home and let yourself drift through the city on foot? Where you can take your time enjoying the sights since your hotel has the perfect central location? We have curated a selected the best hotels for a relaxed city trip.

A city break not only gives visitors a completely new feeling for time but also the opportunity to immerse themselves in city life. Not only will you do something good for the environment, but you’ll also get to experience what real life is like in your chosen destination. You can discover unique, urban places, marvel at unique paintings in museums until the last minute, and enjoy the day until the last ray of sunshine.

On foot through the city of love

The sustainable Hôtel Le Pavillon is located in the middle of Paris, on the Rue Saint-Dominique. The street invites you to wander and explore its many boutiques and specialty shops, for example for delicious macarons! Only a stone’s throw from the hotel you’ll find the Eiffel Tower, one of the most famous sights of the City of Love. Once you arrive at the Tour Eiffel, we recommend a walk along the Champ de Mars, a large green area that spreads out like a carpet in front of the Eiffel Tower. Here you can get in touch with local Parisians, maybe even play a game of boules. But there is more to discover: From the hotel, walk along the banks of the Seine towards the large entrance gate of the exhibition grounds of the 1899 World Fair. The 15-minute walk will take you past several cafés and restaurants, both on land and in cozy boats on the water. You will also find the beautiful Swan Island – Ile de Cygne. The many benches on the island invite you to take a short break and admire the passing houseboats decorated with flowers. If you need something a little more active, you can enjoy climbing one of the outdoor climbing walls. A highlight is located at the end of the island: a replica of the famous New York Statue of Liberty, with a height of only 11.5 meters. Barbara, the owner of the Hôtel Le Pavillon explains that it was a gift to the city in 1889 from the American population living in Paris and was originally intended to be placed directly opposite the Eiffel Tower. Another insider tip from Barbara: on Thursdays and Saturdays, the Breteuil Market offers a wide variety of fashion and delicious food including tasty French specialties. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a moment, you will find an enchanted herb garden at Hôtel Le Pavillon where you can relax and unwind – the perfect blend of exciting city life and the tranquillity of nature.

Sustainably through Freiburg

For nature and culture lovers among us, we recommend Freiburg, the city with the most hours of sunshine in Germany. From the inclusive Green City Hotel Vauban, its only 10 minutes by tram to the city center; a route that could quite easily also be taken by foot. As soon as you arrive in the city center, it is best to buy a ticket for all Freiburg museums, and then you are ready to go! At Münstermarkt, where the weekly market takes place, you will find the cathedral “Unserer Lieben Frau”. From the church tower, you have a fantastic view over the whole city. In the Museum of City History in the Wentzingerhaus at the bottom of the square, you will learn all you need to know about Freiburg’s history. Katharina from the Green City Hotel Vauban recommends all those with a sweet tooth to try Stefan’s cheesecake at the weekly market afterwards. After a stop at the Augustinian Museum with its renowned art collection from the Middle Ages to the 19th Century, it’s time for a well-deserved break. So it’s off to the castle mountain railway and up to the castle hill. According to Katharina, above the Greifenegg Castle, you will find “one of the most beautiful beer gardens“. Up here there is also the Dattler Restaurant, which not only offers a fantastic view over the city but also fine dining and exquisite cuisine. It is best to reserve a table in advance as the restaurant is very popular. The Green City Hotel Vauban is happy to recommend tours through the surrounding countryside for all hiking and forest lovers, the perfect complement to the excitement of the city.

Green vacation in the northern Italian metropolis

Dreaming of a getaway to the Italian fashion capital of Milan? The sustainable Hotel MilanoScala is perfect for a car-free stay in the Italian metropolis. All cultural hotspots, restaurants and the famous shopping streets are just a few minutes’ walk from the zero-emission hotel. In less than 10 minutes you can find yourself at one of the most famous landmarks of the city: the Milan Cathedral. Be sure to allow plenty of time to explore the interior and enjoy the view from the Cathedral Terraces. Afterwards you can take a leisurely stroll through the many shops and restaurants that surround the cathedral.

Be sure to also take some time to relax in Parco Sempione. Covering almost 390,000 square meters, the green area in the north-west of the old town is the largest park in Milan. Here you will also find the beautiful Castello Szforsesco, which is an absolute must for museum lovers!

Bosco Verticale and Santa Maria delle Grazie

For a spectacular showcase of sustainable architecture in the city, be sure to visit the “Bosco Verticale” (vertical forest). The greened outer wall of two high-rise buildings is intended to have a positive influence on the microclimate in the surrounding area. More information about the project can be found here.

An absolute highlight is the “Santa Maria delle Grazie”. In the Dominican Church, you can admire Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous mural, “The Last Supper”. Here we strongly advise you to buy your tickets in advance, because the church is very popular with tourists.

Read more: Vertical and urban gardening: Hotel Milano Scala

Read more: Active inclusion and comprehensive sustainability: Green City Hotel Vauban

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